It came to my attention today that the "Report Bad Post" button isn't used much because either:
a) People didn't know what it did
b) People were worried the post would somehow be labelled and that the person who reported the post would be identified.
Please let me explain what the button does and why you should use it:
1. It's the "red button with white X" icon in the title bar of every post (see attachment)
2. When you press it, you are prompted to enter some text - that is, the reason why you are reporting the post (offensive, breaches the guidelines, etc)
3. It sends an email to the moderators with a link to the post, and the text you entered.
4. The moderators can then take a look at the thread and determine if any action is required.
Now,
5. Your identity is only exposed to the moderators.
6. The thread/post is not labelled as "Reported" in any way, and your identity will be kept completely confidential.
Using this button is appreciated by the moderators, as with over 300 new posts a day it's impossible for them to read every one of them so problem posts can be fixed up with your help.
The bad post button is not at all obvious for what it is. Maybe if it did look like a button people would use it more. And maybe lose the shield because it makes it look more decorative than functional. A simple X on a red button would be more obvious.
